burridge



(No Model.)

L. S. BURRIDGE.

HARPSICHORD.

No. 264,856. Patented Sept. 26,.1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT @EETCE.

LEE BURRIDGE, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

HARPSICHORD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,856, datedSeptember 26, 1882,

Application filed January 3; 1882. (X0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEE S. BURRIDGE, of the city and State of New York,have invented an Improvement in Ha-rpsichords or Similar Instruments,ofwhich the following is a specification.

Harpsichords have been made with strings and keys, and picks operated bythe keys to move the strings and drop them, so that they vibrate. Thesepicks have usually been made of quills that bend in dropping thestrings. These are liable to losetheir elasticity, become injured, andare difficult to keep in order. Be sides this, the pick passes beyondthe string in picking the same, and as the pick returns it touches thestring in reaching its normal position and checks the vibration,lessening the tone and givingafalse sound. Iemploy switch mechanism formoving the pick back out of the way of the vibrating string when the keyis returning to its normal position. I alsocoinbine with the pick andits jack a graduatingrod that is controlled by the pedal, so as to causethe picks to move the strings more or less before dropping them, thusincreasing or diminishing the loudness ot' the tone.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section transversely of severalof the keys and strings. Fig. 2 is a section of the wrestplank andguide-bar, and elevation of twoof thejacks. Fig.3 is a partialplan,showing portions of the graduating-bars, keys, and strings. Fig. 4.is a sectional plan, representing details of the picks and jacks usedwith keys A, B, and E; and Fig. 5' is a sectional plan of the jack andpick on key G.

It is to be understood that this harpsichord is to contain any desirednumber of octaves or notes, and that usually the strings will run in thesame direction as the keys, and each string will be of a proper lengthand tension to produce the required tone. In some portions of theinstrument the strings, being short, require a more sharp and suddenpicking operation than the longer or bass strings.

I have represented various details in the shape and character of thepicking devices and the switch mechanism,whercbythe maker can select theparticular mechanism that is best adapted to the space in which themechanism is to be introduced, or to the leverage of the key, or theposition of the string to the key.

In the drawings I have represented seven notes, and the keys are markedA B (J D E F G and the corresponding strings are marked a b c (l efg.The keys are pivoted as in ordinary pianos, and the strings rest uponbridges and against pitch-pins, and are turned by the studs tin thewrest-plank r, as usual. Each keyis provided with ajack, h, argi a pick,70, and a switch mechanism, 8, for causing the pick to return in adifferent path from the one in which it moved in picking the string, soas not to come in contact with the string and check or deaden thevibration thereof. The strings are placed together in pairs, so thatthere will be more space for the respectivejacks than there would be itthe strings were equidistant, as two jacks pass up in each wide spaceand act, one on the right string and the other on the left.

It is usually preferable to hinge the lower ends of the jacks near theinner ends of the keys by the butt-hinges 2, that allow motion in onedirection, and by thejoints 3, that allow thejacks to swingtrausverselyto the keys. At theupper endsot'thejackstheypass throughmortises or openings in the guide-bar I, that is supported by l at ornear the edge of the wrest-plank and above the strings. The support I ispreferably against the vertical face of the wrest-plank r, and there areopenings in l for the strings to pass through freely.

Upon the side of the jack h which is connected with the key 0 is thepick'lc, in the form of a curved piece of metal. This is available withcat-gut strings, but is objectionable with metal strings, unless coatedwith parchment or similar material. For metal strings I use a pick ofindia-rubber or similar material in a triangular form, as shown at k, onthejack ot' the key B; or the pick may be on the pivoted.

stocks that are represented as attached to the jacks of the keys B D F.With these keys the pivots 0 allow the pick to swing upon thejacks, andin order to deflect the picks away from the strings as the jacks descendI employ the switch-pins s. The switch-pins that act with the keys I) Fare stationary. They project from the vertical part I of the guide-barl. The pick of the key F is pivoted, and the switch-pin 8 acts to swingit laterally after the pick has acted upon the string, and as the key isreleased and its inner end and the jack descend the point of the pickwill be suiiiciently far from the vibrating string not to touch the Isame; but the pin 8, coming in contact with the projection 7 as the pickdescends, swings the pick back beneath the string. The pick on thejackof the key D is also pivoted, and it is provided with a spring pressingagainst a stud on the jack, but which spring allowsthe pick to yield inpassing the string and the switch on the up movement. The switch 8swings the pick up and back as the pick and jack descend, turning thespring back from its stop. The pick swings back to place under thestring by the action of gravity, the point of the pick being theheaviest.

The switch 8 is upon the jack of the key E, and the jack itself swingslaterally to keep the pick clear of the string as it descends. Theswitch 8 in this instance is in the form of an inclined plate, which,after the jack has been lifted sufficiently to cause the pick to pickthe string 0, comes in contact with the stationary part 70 of theguide-bar I, or against a pin at said place, and the jack is pressedaside laterally to the left and desc nds with the point of the pickclear of the string 0, and as soon as said point of the pick is belowthe string the jack and pick are moved to the right by the inclinedswitch 8 coming into contact with and sliding down the stationaryprojection at 80.

It will be seen that the jacks of the keys, especially of B and O, arenot in the same transverse plane, one being behind the other, and suchjacks are curved and inclined toward the right and left, so that theirweight will tend to make the jacks fall toward their respective stringsI) 0. The switch .9 of the jack on the key 0 is in the form of a hangingcam, the lower end of which is inclined. As the key is struck and thejack lifted the cam swings clear of the contact-point 80, but, risingabove it as the note is sounded,said switch swings to the left, and asthe key descends the inclined surface of the switch slides down saidpoint 80, carrying the jack to the right and causing the point of thepick to clear the string. When the switch slips off the point 80 thejack falls by its weight to the left and swings the point of the pickbeneath the string, ready for the next movement of the key. The pick ofthe key 13 is pivoted above the string, and a muffled spring, 15,presses the pick out toward orbeneath thestring,and thepicklifts thestring and sounds the note. As the key is struck the pick-sprin g 15yields to allow the string to slip off the end of the pick and the pickpasses above the switch-pins. This pin may either be a fixture in Z, orit may be at one end of a bent lever, 16, that swings on the fulcrum 17on 1' an the pick passes up above the pin 8; but said pin swings backbeneath the pick before the jack drops, and causes the inclined lowersurface of the pick to move back toward the left, the pick swinging onits pivot, or the jack itself swinging, so that the point of the pick isclear of the vibrating string 1), and passes below the same. This pick7c is shown in a mortise in a supplemental jack, h, that "is pivoted at23 tothe jack h, and a regulated amount of swinging motion is allowed tothis supplemental jack h between two fingers,24, that project 70 Theaction of the pick 70 on the 75 down the inclined slots in the body ofthe pick,

as said pick is partially supported by the switch-pin s swinging belowthe point of the pick. If small cranks of wire took the places of theslots andpins, the action of the parts would be the same.

In some places on the harpsichord, particularly in the treble, the pickrequires to be rigid and have but little lateral motion. For theseplaces I employ the rotary jack h, as

shown upon the key G. This jack is free to'go move up and down in a holein the guide-bar Z, and the lower end is formed as a vertical pivotalattachment to the key G.

The switch sis similar to that upon the jack of the key E; but as thereis no space in the guide-barl for the lateral movement of the jack, saidinclined switch only acts to give a partial rotation to the jack as itrises to turn the pick aside after the string has been picked. Thereverse turning movement as the key descends turns the pick back beneaththe string.

The loudness of tone depends upon the extent of lifting action of thepick. I therefore arrange that the pedal when depressed shall swing thejacks and move the picks farther across below the strings to increasethe hold of the pick on the string when the former is lifted andincrease the picking action and loudness of the instrument. A secondpedal may be used to move the graduating-bars the other way and renderthe sound soft.

The jacks are arranged in two transverse planes. Those that act to theleft on the strings are in one plane; those that act to the right are inthe other plane. I provide upon all the jacks that are to be connectedwith the pedal a vertical pin, 2', at the upper end of each, and thesepass into slotted holes in the graduatingrods an, the pins of A B E Gpassing through the graduating-bar a and the pins 4; of O D F passingthrough a. The holes'in these bars n a not only allow the pins '5 tomove'vertically through them freely, but also allow of the lateralmotion if the jack swings away from the string, and the ends of theslots in these graduating-rods determine the distance the pick-s shallswing in under the wires. Hence when end motion is given by the pedal tothese bars in opposite directions the loudness of tone is regulated. Iprefer to connect the graduating-bars at each end by the shortoscillating links v on pivots 21, and apply the too pedal-lever w to theend of one of the graduating-bars to move the same. A spring-bearer, z,acting against one of the links o, restores the parts to their normalpositions when the pedal is relieved.

If the guide-bars are made of two longitudinal strips and connected in asimilar manner to the graduating-bars, so as to be moved by one or morepedals, they may perform the duty of graduating-bars as well asguide-bars.

I am aware that a finger has been used to vibrate a metal tongue, andthat such finger has returned to the normal position without touchingsuch tongue. In a string the vibration is very different from that ofthe metal tongue. Such tongue vibrates only in one direction the stringvibrates laterally in all directions. Hence the pick has to be drawnaway, not from the string alone, but from the entire path in which itmay vibrate; otherwise it will not clear the string on the returnmovement. Furthermore, the pick must have an inclined end; otherwise itwill not separate from the string. This is not the case with the fingerand the metal tongue, as they separate in consequence of the arcs ofcircles described by each.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the string in aharpsichord or similar instrument, of a pick with an inclined end to actupon the string, a jack to which such pick is pivoted, a key to move thejack, and a switch to withdraw the pick out of the path of the vibratingstring, substantially as set forth.

2. In a harpsichord, the combination, with the keys, jacks, and picks,of strings placed near each other in pairs, with wide spaces between thepairs of strings for the jacks and picks, acting alternately to theright and left, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the keys and the strings placed together inpairs, of the two jacks acting in the space between the two pairs ofstrings, one jack being in front of the other, substantially as setforth.

4. In a harpsichord, the combination, with the keys and strings, of thejacks and picks arranged in two planes transversely to the keys, so thatthe picks on one range of jacks act toward the left on the strings, andthe picks on the other range of jacks act toward the right on thestrings, substantially as specified.

5. In a harpsichord, the combination, with the keys and strings inpairs, of the jacks having curved lower ends, hinges for connecting thejacks to the keys, picks upon the jacks, and the guide-bar l,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, in a harpsichord, of the keys, jacks, and picks withthe graduatingrod and pedal-connection, whereby the picks are moved intheir relative positions to the strings, for the purposes andsubstantially as set forth.

7. In a harpsichord, the grad uatin g-bars n a connecting pivoted links,and pedal-connection s, in combination with the jacks, picks, and keys,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination, with the keys and strings, of picks and jacks, thelatter pivoted to the keys and the former to the jacks, so as to swinglaterally toward the strings by their own weight, substantially as setforth.

9. The combination, with the keys, and jacks hinged to the keys, ofpicks formed of rubber, and having an inclined surface to act upon thestring, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, in a stringed instrument such as the harpsichord,of picks to act upon the strings, means for preventing the picks cominginto contact with the stringon the return motion, and graduating-bars ortheir equivalents to modulate the action of the picks upon the strings,substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 28th December, A. D.

